Beautification Committee Update: April 2015

We are happy to report that this past month, conditions were finally right for the City of Plano (City) to plant three new Cedar Elms in the empty Hearst Castle Way median that you see coming from Coit on the incline between Brodick Way and Twelve Oaks. The City also added compost to improve the soil and prepare for planting the surrounding bedding. Many thanks to the City and especially to Matthew Simmons for their important contribution to The Estates of Forest Creek median beautification!

The remainder of the landscape installation in the empty median is being done by Shades of Green in Frisco. Depending on the weather, we expect the work to be completed by early May. Zoysia grass will be planted under and around the Cedar Elms. On each end of the median, the landscape will include perennials, grasses, evergreen herbs as groundcover, boulders, and a Possumhaw Holly which will be trained as a small tree. As this median will not include annuals and will be planted with spacing for the mature plants (as opposed to crowding in too many for “instant” gratification), we ask for your patience. This is a landscape improvement for the long term and it will take time to look lush and full. Thanks to the homeowners who have offered to help with supplemental watering.

Pending good results with our beautification of the empty median and as the HOA budget allows, we plan to install additional landscape improvements in some of the larger open areas along Hearst Castle. If the Zoysia is successful, then we can replace the unsightly turf in some of the medians.

The abelia plants in the beds at Hearst Castle and Coit were replaced with boxwoods. The intent is to have shrubs that can be sheared into a nice evergreen frame for our nameplates. Again, patience is necessary as it will take time for the shrubs to achieve their intended size. The pansies plan to be replaced with summer annuals around the beginning of May.

Unfortunately, the roses at our Hogan Manor entrance had to be removed, as they were infected with Rose Rosette disease. All the remaining roses on Hearts Castle will need to be removed as well. The empty median is consuming a large amount of the landscape budget, so the Hogan Manor beds are being filled with plants transplanted from Hearst Castle, donated plants, and a few that were purchased. This will be an EFC community “do-it-yourself (DIY)” project. Once again (sigh), please be patient as these areas get established. It may be a few months before you see any color from the perennials, but we plan for some beautiful summer color in these beds.